Billy Steele was deeply impressed with the headphone version of its TruePlay tuning, called TrueCinema, which maps your location for better virtual surround. If you already own a Sonos soundbar, you’ll be able to pull the sound to the Ace in a heartbeat for those late-night movie sessions. Plus, Sonos’ ability to upscale audio that hasn’t been mastered in 7.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos should make even the most mediocre sound, uh, sound good.
Humane, makers of the AI pin that made the wrong sort of splash on its debut, is reportedly up for sale. The underbaked hardware and software was greeted with poor reviews that ensured it probably wouldn’t become a best seller. Now, the startup has called in financial advisers, hoping a deep-pocketed soul will pick it up for between $750 million and a cool billion. There’s an old saying that we die twice in this world, and I think it goes something like this: First, when your major product flops, and second, when someone picks you up for patent-licensing scraps.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-we-test-sonos-first-wireless-headphones-111531630.html?src=rss
Headphones aren’t the only new product Sonos rolled out today. The company also refreshed its cheapest portable speaker, the Roam. The Sonos Roam 2 has the same audio as its 2021 predecessor but adds more streamlined controls and a quicker setup. The $179 speaker is available today.
Sonos says the Roam 2 “delivers the same rich, detailed sound and bass” as the original model, so owners of the first Roam would only notice some subtle quality-of-life upgrades. One is a separate power and Bluetooth button, which solves a common gripe from its predecessor about its multifunctional power / sleep / Bluetooth button. Customers found that the overloaded button was confusing and often led to accidentally triggering the wrong behavior.
The company says setup is also more straightforward in the Roam 2. The previous model required you to set up the speaker over Wi-Fi, so you couldn’t quickly connect to Bluetooth until you’d gone through the (potentially cumbersome) process of pairing with a home network. That meant you couldn’t buy the speaker and immediately use it on a day at the beach or camping. The Roam 2 lets you quickly connect your phone or other device over Bluetooth, so you don’t have to mess with the much lengthier Wi-Fi setup until it’s time to pair it with a Sonos home system.
Leah Verwey
Besides adding a monochromatic logo that blends in better with the rest of the speaker, the Roam 2 appears to be the same as the original in other areas. It’s still rated for a solid 10 hours of battery life, has IP67 dust and water resistance and supports automatic Trueplay tuning to adjust its sound to any room’s acoustics.
As for sound, Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham was pleased with the original’s audio profile. “Fortunately, it sounds much better than its tiny size should allow,” he wrote in our review. “The Roam includes both a tweeter and a mid-woofer, rather than just a single driver, and that helps it produce clear highs and mids as well as more of a bass thump than seems plausible from a relatively tiny speaker. It also doesn’t distort or get overly boomy at max volume, a surprise for such a small speaker. Audio quality stays consistent throughout the volume range.” You can expect the same from the new model.
You can order the Sonos Roam 2 today from the company’s website and retail partners like Amazon and Best Buy. The $179 speaker ships in black, white, olive, sunset (orange-ish red) and wave (blue with a subtle gray tint) colorways.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-sonos-roam-2-fixes-the-original-speakers-confusing-button-setup-161311479.html?src=rss
After years of rumors and leaks, Sonos has finally pulled the wraps off of it's much-anticipated entry into a new product category. Today, Sonos announced the Ace headphones: a meticulously designed, feature-packed set of premium cans from the company that made its name with multi-room audio and stellar sound. But, that reputation was built on speakers and soundbars, and now Sonos is lending its mix of aesthetics, acoustics and tech to headphones. The Ace is first and foremost a set of Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones that can be used on the go, but it's also got some unique home theater chops that work in tandem with its soundbars. You'll have to wait a bit longer to try to the $449 headphones, but you can pre-order them now if you're already convinced.
Design-wise, these Sonos headphones have a refined look that draws some inspiration from the company's speakers. Sonos opted for a mix of matte finishes, stainless steel and leather for its high-end look, keeping everything black on one version while using white with silver accents on the other. Even with the premium materials, the Ace weighs 11 ounces (312 grams). That's lighter than the AirPods Max which is 13.6 ounces (385 grams) thanks so some use of plastic.
"It's all in the interest of doing something that's going to make this light and comfortable for the customer," Sonos CEO Patrick Spence told Engadget. "We knew it had to be premium, just like all the speakers that we've designed, but we felt like we could do this in a different way than anybody else."
A key aspect of the Ace's design is the hidden hinge, which Sonos has placed in the ear cup. The company says this puts less stress on cabling than a folding mechanism, but it also argues that it just looks better. Sonos chose physical controls rather than a touchpad, assigning those functions to a multi-purpose button it calls the Content Key. Here, you have volume and playback controls along with the ability to switch between ANC and transparency modes. A single button on the opposite side handles power and pairing. Like Apple, Sonos uses removable, magnetic ear pads on its headphones, and plans to sell replacements in the future.
Inside, 40mm custom dynamic drivers power the Ace's sound. Sonos promises "impeccable precision and clarity" across the EQ with spatial audio and dynamic head tracking for increased immersion. These headphones also support lossless audio over Bluetooth if you're streaming from a device with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Sound. They also offer lossless listening over USB-C if you prefer a wired connection for that purpose. And if the stock tuning doesn't suit you, the company allows you to adjust bass, treble and loudness from the Sonos app.
Billy Steele for Engadget
Active noise cancellation (ANC) is onboard the Sonos headphones and there's an Aware mode when you need to let in ambient sounds. The company says the Ace is equipped with eight beamforming microphones that pull double duty with ANC and voice targeting, so you'll be able to use them during calls. The headphones also have wear detection sensors which will automatically pause movies or music when you take them off. Sonos says you'll be able to use the Ace for up to 30 hours on a charge with ANC on, 10 hours more than the AirPods Max and on par with Sony's WH-1000XM5. The latter of which is our current top pick for best wireless headphones.
None of this is a surprise given how many of the details broke cover before the official reveal, but Sonos did manage to keep secret how the Ace would interact with its other products. While the company's app will carry key features for the headphones, the interaction with other Sonos speakers is unique here. The Ace has a feature called TV Audio Swap that sends the audio from a Sonos soundbar to the headphones as long as you're in range. To make this happen, the company says the Ace switches to Bluetooth LE to maintain a connection with the app for controls and settings while Wi-Fi allows it to sync with a soundbar. At launch, the swap functionality will only work with the Sonos Arc, but the company says it will come to both generations of Beam and Ray in the future.
"What we realized is for the majority of the population, and for the many use cases of headphones, the best way to do it is the Bluetooth first with connectivity to the system," Spence said. "Because what's more important to the customer is power management and battery life."
There's also a version of the company's TruePlay tuning on the Ace, but it's called TrueCinema. When it arrives later this year, the feature will map the room your soundbar is in to create a complete virtual surround system inside the headphones. The goal here is to mimic the acoustics of the room you're in so that maybe you'll forget you're even wearing headphones.
"It's more natural, because often times the headphones will be tuned to a perfect room," Spence explained. "We thought it was better to have it tuned to the room that you're actually in because it would create the effects that you would expect."
After some time listening to both music and movie clips on the Ace, I'm impressed with what the company has built in terms of sound quality. There's pristine detail and heightened immersion with Dolby Atmos content that make the headphones a complement to a home theater setup. However, the most surprising thing about the Ace to me was how well the TV Audio Swap feature works.
Once the headphones have been added to your collection of devices in the app, all you have to do is press the Content Key button to switch the sound to what's coming from your soundbar. It's quick and easy, and there's no jumping, popping or other distractions when you hop back and forth. I can see a lot of people using them so that they can still hear the finer details of Dune or every shot of John Wick 4 when their family has gone to bed.
Even if your content isn't 7.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos, Sonos' 3D virtualization tech will upscale it so it sounds comparable. The company has also developed its own head tracking processing that learns from your position and the direction you're looking so that it's not constantly recentering if you look down at your phone. Unfortunately, the head tracking, spatial audio and the TV audio swap with Sonos Arc will only be available in the iOS version of the Sonos app at launch. Android compatibility is coming "shortly after."
The Sonos Ace headphones are available for pre-order today from the company's website for $449 and will begin shipping on June 5th. While that's more expensive than flagship models from Bose, Sony and others, it's $100 less than the AirPods Max.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonos-ace-headphones-hands-on-joining-your-home-theater-setup-with-the-push-of-a-button-130045023.html?src=rss
Sonos might be known for its high-quality speaker systems, but the company has finally announced its first foray into the personal listening space: the Sonos Ace headphones. We no longer have to rely on leaked information and can confidently say the wireless headphones will launch on June 5 and are available for $449 in either black or white. While that's not too long a wait, you can pre-order the Sonos Ace headphones now through the company's website.
The Sonos Ace wireless headphones offer features like active noise cancellation and aware modes, spatial audio with Dolby Atmos and lossless audio. Plus, they have two custom-designed drivers and eight beamforming microphones. The headphones will use Sonos' upcoming TrueCinema technology, which maps your space, aiming to provide a surround sound experience. Sonos also claims the headphones last up to 30 hours of listening or talking use and can get three hours of battery life in just a three-minute charge.
In a statement, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence said the Sonos Ace headphones leverage "everything we've learned over two decades as an audio leader to bring stunning sound, sleek design and long-standing comfort to one of the largest and most popular audio categories worldwide." Even the physical design reflects this with a matte finish, memory foam interior wrapped in vegan leather and lightweight build.
Samsung’s HW-Q990C was the best overall soundbar I tested last year, mostly due to its stellar audio and the fact that a subwoofer and rear speakers came with it. The company didn’t change much for the 2024 version, the HW-Q990D, but one tweak delivers a feature last year’s model should’ve had: HDMI 2.1. There are some new audio modes too, but you can find those on other Samsung soundbars. The Q990D is as powerful as ever, but it’s still pricey at $2,000. If you already bought a Q990C, the company hasn’t given you a reason to upgrade just yet.
What’s new on the Samsung Q990D?
The biggest addition on the Q990D is HDMI 2.1. With this, Samsung addressed my main criticism of the Q990C, which debuted last year at a time when much of the competition had already adopted the standard. HDMI 2.1 delivers 4K passthrough at 120 frames per second, which will improve the visuals if you connect your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X directly to the soundbar.
The Q990D also arrives with new audio modes. Private Listening turns off all of the front-firing drivers and uses only the rear satellite speakers. It’s basically an expanded version of the night mode a lot of companies offer on soundbars, aimed at reducing boomy bass when family or roommates might be asleep. My house has an open floor plan and my TV faces towards the hallway to the bedrooms, which means any soundbar will beam noise in that direction. Private Listening sends the audio the opposite way, and while you have to sacrifice some overall quality, it’s good enough for all the times you need to be quieter.
There’s also a new Party Play mode that provides more balanced sound between the soundbar and rear speakers for a better experience when you’re hosting a rager. When this is active, you get the full audio range rather than just the channels specifically programmed for the speakers behind you. I actually turned the speakers around and faced them out of the living room to project the re-tuned audio into other communal spaces. This makes a bigger difference for movies and TV because music already plays from the rear speakers with more balanced levels.
These two modes aren’t unique to the Q990D; the rest of the 2024 Q-series lineup will be able to use them too. This is the first time I’ve tested them though, and it’s notable that they actually work well on Samsung’s most expensive soundbar.
What’s good
Billy Steele for Engadget
The combination of a driver-packed soundbar, large subwoofer and more-robust rear speakers produces immersive sound that envelops my living room. Whether you’re listening to music or the soundscape of Dune, the Q990D retains the sonic prowess of its predecessor. Dolby Atmos content from Disney+ is as immersive as ever. I could hear the finer details of Knowhere in the opening scenes of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, including the life-like reverb of Radiohead’s “Creep” playing over a loudspeaker. The directional sounds of the town, including the hustle and bustle of people moving around, make it seem like you’re standing right there.
For music, there’s deep, boomy bass when a track calls for it, and that crisp detail that I heard in movies is here too. Justice’s Hyperdrama shows off the Q990D’s range, with driving low-end tone on songs like “Neverender” accompanied by textured synths. Quieter genres like jazz are a blanket of sound too, with albums like Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue offering subtleties that make you feel like you’re in the studio.
The thing I like most about the Q990D is that everything you need for a complete surround sound setup is included in the box. The subwoofer and rear speakers come with the soundbar and don’t require an additional purchase. Those satellite speakers also house up-firing and side-firing drivers, which isn’t always the case on comparable accessories from the competition. And the setup is as easy as plugging everything in because pairing with the rest of the system happens automatically.
What’s bad
Billy Steele for Engadget
An all-in-one setup is great, but that also means the Q990D is expensive. At $2,000, this is a considerable investment even if you’re getting everything you need in the package. The Q990D is currently on sale for $1,750, but we don’t know how long that discount will last. For comparison, Sony’s upcoming Bravia Bar 9 is $1,400. The cheapest subwoofer and rear speakers you can get for it are $400 and $350 respectively, which puts your total cost at $2,150. Of course, with Sony you have two options for subs and rears, and you don’t have to buy all of them. LG offers some respite if you want to go that route, with its S95TR coming in at $1,500 and including the subwoofer and rear speakers with up-firing drivers.
The overall size of the soundbar is something else you’ll need to consider. The Q990D houses 11 front-facing speakers, two up-firing drivers and a subwoofer. All of those components need space, and accommodating them means this soundbar ends up being quite large at 48.5 inches wide. While that’s not a deal-breaker per se, it does require some planning, so just know you’ll need ample room.
Like soundbars from other companies, the Q990D has some handy features that are reserved for Samsung TVs. For example, Q-Symphony, which uses your TV speakers in addition to the soundbar to expand the audio capabilities, requires a compatible 2020-2024 Samsung TV. The Q990D sounds great without this, but just know you’re not getting the full bag of tricks unless you also have a supported TV.
Wrap-up
Unless you care for the latest HDMI standards, the Q990D doesn’t offer a huge upgrade over last year’s model. Their design and features lists are nearly identical, except for two new sound modes and 4K/120 passthrough. And some of those additions are available on more-affordable Samsung soundbars. So if you already sprang for last year’s Q990C, there’s probably not enough reason to make another sizable investment. If you don’t already own a Samsung flagship soundbar, the Q990D offers boomy, immersive sound in an all-in-one package that now has all the modern conveniences it should.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-hw-q990d-soundbar-review-a-small-but-significant-update-180022782.html?src=rss
Not all connected speakers have a voice assistant built in. The Sonos One SL, for instance, doesn't have a microphone. So, if you want to use your voice to control such devices, you may need to pick up a secondary smart speaker, such as Amazon's Echo Dot. As luck would have it, that little Alexa-enabled device is on sale for $28. That's 44 percent off and just $5 more than the record-low price.
That's not to say the Echo Dot isn't a decent speaker in its own right. In fact, we think it's the best smart speaker under $50.
Amazon has been steadily improving the Dot's audio quality over the years and the most recent version from 2022 pumps out far louder and clearer audio than could be reasonably expected from a sub-$50 speaker. The globe-shaped speaker has some physical buttons, including ones for volume control and another that mutes/unmutes the microphone if you don't want Alexa to remain alert for voice commands at all times.
If you'd prefer to save a few extra bucks, you could instead opt for the Echo Pop. That Alexa-enabled speaker is currently half off at $20. The colorful speaker also has a mic mute switch. It could prove to be a handy bedside speaker for listening to podcasts or a sleep story when it's time to nod off.
Most headphones don't last forever, especially wireless ones as the battery life will inevitably dwindle. If you're ready for an upgrade and you're willing to splash a little cash, Apple's AirPods Max are worth considering. Those headphones are currently on sale at Amazon. The price has dropped by $100 to $450, putting it at just $20 above the lowest price we've seen for the cans to date. The offer applies to all colorways.
The price was one of our major drawbacks when we reviewed the AirPods Max back in 2020 so the sale mitigates that a bit. We gave the headphones a score of 84, with the audio quality and aesthetics proving to be major plus points.
We felt that the AirPods Max had great balanced sound and capable active noise cancellation (ANC). With both spatial audio and ANC enabled, we had no trouble getting 20 hours of use out of the headphones on a single charge, just as Apple pledged.
Given that it's been a few years since the AirPods Max debuted and the fact Apple is in the midst of switching out the Lightning charging port for a USB-C one across all of its devices, a new version of the headphones may be on the way. That may result in Apple bringing the price of the original model down even further to clear out the stock. That said, if you don't want to wait, this is a solid deal on a good set of headphones, particularly if you're already entrenched in the Apple ecosystem.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-airpods-max-are-100-off-and-close-to-a-record-low-143019278.html?src=rss
Bose may be best known for its noise-canceling headphones, but the company makes solid portable Bluetooth speakers too. In fact, the company's SoundLink Flex made our best Bluetooth speakers list as a great option among contenders in its price range. Today, the company is adding to the SoundLink lineup with its largest portable Bluetooth speaker yet: the SoundLink Max ($399). While the overall design is similar to previous Bose devices, this model packs bigger sound and longer battery life into that expanded frame.
Inside the SoundLink Max, three transducers and two passive radiators power "a spacious stereo experience" that includes bass performance that sounds like an even larger speaker, according to Bose. The company says this portable unit employs tech typically used in its soundbars and pairs that with digital signal processing to reduce distortion for "full, natural sound" across genres. Bose is promising that you'll be able to hear every aspect of a song clearly, no matter the musical style and no matter where the speaker is located. You'll also be able to adjust lows, mids and highs via the Bose app if the stock tuning doesn't suit your preferences.
Bose
Bose opted for a powder-coated, silicone-wrapped steel enclosure for the SoundLink Max, which the company says offers a more refined look. The speaker is also IP67 rated, so dust, water, rust and dropping it shouldn't be an issue. This all makes the Max well-suited for outdoor use, and when you do take it on the go, you won't have to worry about recharging often. Bose says the SoundLink Max will last up to 20 hours, plus it can juice up your phone via a USB-C cable if needed. A removable rope handle will assist with transport, but Bose also makes a carrying strap if you prefer over-the-shoulder hauling.
The SoundLink Max is equipped with Snapdragon Sound, which offers more consistent connectivity with recent Android devices, and aptX Adaptive that provides improved audio quality over Bluetooth. The speaker also supports Google Fast Pair and Bluetooth 5.3.
Pre-orders for the SoundLink Max start today from Bose, and the speaker is schedule to ship on May 16. In addition to being the company's largest portable Bluetooth unit, it also ties the Bose Portable Smart Speaker for being the most expensive at $399. If you're looking for something smaller, the SoundLink Micro ($99), SoundLink Flex ($119) and SoundLink Mini II ($149) are also available from Bose.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/boses-soundlink-max-is-its-largest-portable-bluetooth-speaker-with-20-hour-battery-life-130043418.html?src=rss
When Beats introduced the Solo 3 in 2016, the headline feature was the inclusion of Apple’s W1 audio chip. This delivered seamless pairing with Apple devices, which made life much easier for iPhone, Mac and iPad owners. Besides the noise-canceling Solo Pro in 2019, Beats hadn’t updated the Solo line in nearly eight years, and it’s now bringing its popular on-ear headphones up to today’s standards. Beats announced the Solo 4 today, a $200 set of familiar-looking cans with significant updates to audio quality and battery life. But as it has done on other devices, the company has chosen its own audio platform over Apple’s AirPod chip.
What’s new on the Beats Solo 4?
Beats says it re-engineered the audio on the Solo 4 for “incredible, high-fidelity acoustics.” This includes new, custom-built 40mm transducers that it says offer “extraordinary clarity and range” due to minimal latency and distortion. The company explained that the change also led to improved high-frequency response compared to the Solo 3. Beats says the Solo 4 is its only passively-tuned headphone, so you’ll get the same audio quality when listening wirelessly as you do when your battery dies and you have to employ the 3.5mm jack.
Spatial Audio was available on the Solo 3, but Beats took things a step further on the Solo 4 by adding Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. This is the process Apple developed for its AirPods that uses your iPhone’s camera to create a custom audio profile tailored to the shape of your ears. The effectiveness of head tracking in enhancing Spatial Audio might depend on your personal preferences and the content, but the addition brings the Solo 4 up to date with other Beats (and Apple) audio products.
Billy Steele for Engadget
Another big upgrade is battery life. The Solo 3 already offered 40 hours of play time on a charge, but Beats managed to squeeze another 10 hours out of the Solo 4. Of course, that’s with a volume level of about 50 percent with Spatial Audio off (45 hours with it on). The quick-charge feature, Fast Fuel, now gives you up to five hours of use in 10 minutes. That’s two hours more than the Solo 3.
Like Apple has done with most of its products, Beats made the switch to USB-C for charging on the Solo 4. That wired connection also delivers lossless audio, so long as you’re listening to compatible content with a supported device. Similar to other recent Beats products, the Solo 4 swaps Apple’s chips for the company’s own platform. In this case, the W1 on the Solo 3 has been replaced, but there’s still deep integration with iOS, macOS and iPadOS. And the company’s recent efforts to better cater to Android users continues on the Solo 4.
Beats upgraded the microphones on the Solo 4, though they’re used solely for calls since there’s no active noise cancellation (ANC) here. Specifically, the company says it swapped out analog mics for digital, beam-forming MEMS ones, leading to increased quality when it comes to voice capture across various environments. Beats also added a noise-learning algorithm that can target your voice while combating background roar and wind.
What’s good
Billy Steele for Engadget
The steps Beats took to improve the sound quality on the Solo 4 truly delivered. The company has employed a more even-handed tuning for several years now, ditching the overly bass-heavy EQ that dominated the sound on its early headphones. I can also hear the added clarity in tracks like Justice’s “Neverender,” where details like synth sounds had brought an atmospheric texture that enhanced the song. This is most prominent when you have Spatial Audio activated, and in my experience, the Solo 4 were at their best with Dolby Atmos content in Apple Music.
The 50-hour battery life claim holds out, too. After 37 hours of testing at around 50-percent volume, macOS was still showing the Solo 4 had 35 percent left in the tank. That’s pacing ahead of Beats’ stated figure. During my test, I was streaming spatial Dolby Atmos content from Apple Music, mostly from a MacBook Pro.
Beats says the Solo 4 has the same memory foam ear pads as the over-ear Studio Pro headphones, but with a new cover material for that component to further boost comfort. I do feel like there’s less of a vice-like pressure when I’m wearing the Solo 4, but after a couple of hours, each passing minute felt more laborious.
What’s bad
Billy Steele for Engadget
While we’re on the topic of comfort, I’ve never been a fan of the on-ear style of headphones. Most of them, the Beats Solo included, feel like they’re clamping down on my head. GrantedI have a large dome; I take my New Era caps in 7 ⅝. But I can appreciate that this design is very popular, so this is less of a con and more of an observation for my fellow large-domed homies. The slight changes to the ear pads definitely help make it more comfortable, but it’s still too snug a fit for me.Clearly, though, the Solo line is a hit: Beats says it has sold over 40 million pairs of these on-ear cans.
I also wish the company did a bit more with the Solo 4’s design. I understand “if it ain’t broke” and all that, but this feels like a missed opportunity. Beats opted to keep almost entirely the same look from the Solo 3, except that the “Solo” branding on the headband is now just a “4.” The company changed things up a bit on the Solo Pro, but that model isn’t around anymore, so a design update on the non-ANC Solo headphones would’ve been a welcome change.
While there are some obvious updates to the audio profile, the Solo 4 sounds a bit thin at times. When listening on an iPhone, audio performance is consistent across genress, but there’s a noticeable difference when listening to the same songs on Apple Music on a Mac. That Justice album, Hyperdrama, doesn’t have the same oomph streaming from my MacBook Pro as it does from my iPhone.
The Solo 4 is also missing multipoint Bluetooth support on iOS. It isn’t the first Beats audio device that lacks this, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating. The ability to automatically switch between your computer and your phone when you get a call is a handy feature most headphones offer these days. And if you’re used to having it, it’s something you’ll miss on the Solo 4.
Wrap-up
There’s no denying the updates Beats made on the Solo 4 in terms of sound quality and battery life. The company also made tweaks to modernize it, including the switch to USB-C. Small changes to the ear pads make the Solo 4 more comfortable for those of us with big heads, but the fit is still far from ideal. And overall, the familiar design could use a refresh, especially now that we’re nearly eight years on from the Solo 3. Still, the Solo 4 is a clear upgrade from the Solo 3, but it’s likely not significant enough to entice more than the Beats faithful.
The Beats Solo 4 is available today for $200 from Apple. The headphones come in black, blue (pictured) and pink color options.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/beats-solo-4-review-upgraded-audio-extended-battery-life-and-familiar-design-140034968.html?src=rss
When Beats introduced the Solo 3 in 2016, the headline feature was the inclusion of Apple’s W1 audio chip. This delivered seamless pairing with Apple devices, which made life much easier for iPhone, Mac and iPad owners. Besides the noise-canceling Solo Pro in 2019, Beats hadn’t updated the Solo line in nearly eight years, and it’s now bringing its popular on-ear headphones up to today’s standards. Beats announced the Solo 4 today, a $200 set of familiar-looking cans with significant updates to audio quality and battery life. But as it has done on other devices, the company has chosen its own audio platform over Apple’s AirPod chip.
What’s new on the Beats Solo 4?
Beats says it re-engineered the audio on the Solo 4 for “incredible, high-fidelity acoustics.” This includes new, custom-built 40mm transducers that it says offer “extraordinary clarity and range” due to minimal latency and distortion. The company explained that the change also led to improved high-frequency response compared to the Solo 3. Beats says the Solo 4 is its only passively-tuned headphone, so you’ll get the same audio quality when listening wirelessly as you do when your battery dies and you have to employ the 3.5mm jack.
Spatial Audio was available on the Solo 3, but Beats took things a step further on the Solo 4 by adding Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. This is the process Apple developed for its AirPods that uses your iPhone’s camera to create a custom audio profile tailored to the shape of your ears. The effectiveness of head tracking in enhancing Spatial Audio might depend on your personal preferences and the content, but the addition brings the Solo 4 up to date with other Beats (and Apple) audio products.
Billy Steele for Engadget
Another big upgrade is battery life. The Solo 3 already offered 40 hours of play time on a charge, but Beats managed to squeeze another 10 hours out of the Solo 4. Of course, that’s with a volume level of about 50 percent with Spatial Audio off (45 hours with it on). The quick-charge feature, Fast Fuel, now gives you up to five hours of use in 10 minutes. That’s two hours more than the Solo 3.
Like Apple has done with most of its products, Beats made the switch to USB-C for charging on the Solo 4. That wired connection also delivers lossless audio, so long as you’re listening to compatible content with a supported device. Similar to other recent Beats products, the Solo 4 swaps Apple’s chips for the company’s own platform. In this case, the W1 on the Solo 3 has been replaced, but there’s still deep integration with iOS, macOS and iPadOS. And the company’s recent efforts to better cater to Android users continues on the Solo 4.
Beats upgraded the microphones on the Solo 4, though they’re used solely for calls since there’s no active noise cancellation (ANC) here. Specifically, the company says it swapped out analog mics for digital, beam-forming MEMS ones, leading to increased quality when it comes to voice capture across various environments. Beats also added a noise-learning algorithm that can target your voice while combating background roar and wind.
What’s good
Billy Steele for Engadget
The steps Beats took to improve the sound quality on the Solo 4 truly delivered. The company has employed a more even-handed tuning for several years now, ditching the overly bass-heavy EQ that dominated the sound on its early headphones. I can also hear the added clarity in tracks like Justice’s “Neverender,” where details like synth sounds had brought an atmospheric texture that enhanced the song. This is most prominent when you have Spatial Audio activated, and in my experience, the Solo 4 were at their best with Dolby Atmos content in Apple Music.
The 50-hour battery life claim holds out, too. After 37 hours of testing at around 50-percent volume, macOS was still showing the Solo 4 had 35 percent left in the tank. That’s pacing ahead of Beats’ stated figure. During my test, I was streaming spatial Dolby Atmos content from Apple Music, mostly from a MacBook Pro.
Beats says the Solo 4 has the same memory foam ear pads as the over-ear Studio Pro headphones, but with a new cover material for that component to further boost comfort. I do feel like there’s less of a vice-like pressure when I’m wearing the Solo 4, but after a couple of hours, each passing minute felt more laborious.
What’s bad
Billy Steele for Engadget
While we’re on the topic of comfort, I’ve never been a fan of the on-ear style of headphones. Most of them, the Beats Solo included, feel like they’re clamping down on my head. GrantedI have a large dome; I take my New Era caps in 7 ⅝. But I can appreciate that this design is very popular, so this is less of a con and more of an observation for my fellow large-domed homies. The slight changes to the ear pads definitely help make it more comfortable, but it’s still too snug a fit for me.Clearly, though, the Solo line is a hit: Beats says it has sold over 40 million pairs of these on-ear cans.
I also wish the company did a bit more with the Solo 4’s design. I understand “if it ain’t broke” and all that, but this feels like a missed opportunity. Beats opted to keep almost entirely the same look from the Solo 3, except that the “Solo” branding on the headband is now just a “4.” The company changed things up a bit on the Solo Pro, but that model isn’t around anymore, so a design update on the non-ANC Solo headphones would’ve been a welcome change.
While there are some obvious updates to the audio profile, the Solo 4 sounds a bit thin at times. When listening on an iPhone, audio performance is consistent across genress, but there’s a noticeable difference when listening to the same songs on Apple Music on a Mac. That Justice album, Hyperdrama, doesn’t have the same oomph streaming from my MacBook Pro as it does from my iPhone.
The Solo 4 is also missing multipoint Bluetooth support on iOS. It isn’t the first Beats audio device that lacks this, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating. The ability to automatically switch between your computer and your phone when you get a call is a handy feature most headphones offer these days. And if you’re used to having it, it’s something you’ll miss on the Solo 4.
Wrap-up
There’s no denying the updates Beats made on the Solo 4 in terms of sound quality and battery life. The company also made tweaks to modernize it, including the switch to USB-C. Small changes to the ear pads make the Solo 4 more comfortable for those of us with big heads, but the fit is still far from ideal. And overall, the familiar design could use a refresh, especially now that we’re nearly eight years on from the Solo 3. Still, the Solo 4 is a clear upgrade from the Solo 3, but it’s likely not significant enough to entice more than the Beats faithful.
The Beats Solo 4 is available today for $200 from Apple. The headphones come in black, blue (pictured) and pink color options.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/beats-solo-4-review-upgraded-audio-extended-battery-life-and-familiar-design-140034968.html?src=rss